Wheel



F. L. MINNICK.

- WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1921 Patented 0ct.1@,1922.

I l w w z 9 \a m MW Patented Get. 10, 1922.

I UNITED STATES FREDERICK I. MINNICK, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO TUBULAR STEEL AUTOMOBILE WHEEL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SPOKANE, 'IJVASHING'IOII,

A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON.

WHEEL.

, Application filed September 22, 1921. Serial No. 502,448. i

To all whom it my concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK L. MINNICK, a citizen of the United States, residin at Spokane,-in the county of Spokane and tate of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

Theobject of this invention is to provide a vehicle wheel which may be very rapidly and cheaply produced and which, when in use, will be strong and durable. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is adiametric section ofthe same; Fig. 3 is a detail section showing another form of spoke. p

My improved wheel is composed of two sheet metal shells 1 and 2 which may be readily stamped into the proper form at a single operation in a metal-stamping ma chine. Each shell includes a hub portion 3, a plurality of half spokes 4 rojecting from the hub portion, and a circu ar rim or felly portion 5 integral with and connecting the outer ends of the spoke portions. The rim portions may be given any desired transverse configuration so that they may be employed in wheels of the clincher type or wheels of the demountable rim type and, when the two shells are assembled, the tire 6 will be engaged between and held by the rim portions, as will be readily understood on reference to Fig. 2.. The spoke members 4 of each shell are dished, as shown at 7 "so that, when two spoke portions are brought together in mating registration, they will produce a tubular.

spoke tapering or diminishing in its minor diameter toward its outer end, the mating spoke members or portions being secured together by bolts 8 at their outer ends, as clearly shown. The hub members 3 of the shells are integral disks connecting the inner ends of all of the spokes, and they are provided centrally with sleeves 9 extending from the respective disks across the plane of the spokes, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2.

together and by which a dust cap or an axlecap nutma be secured in place as indicated by dotted bass in Fig. 2'.

I prefer to employ bolts to secure the outer ends of the mating spoke members together as I am thereby enabled to readily separate the rim members when it is desired to apply a new tire. It is obvious, however, that rivets may be employed when it is desired to permanently unite the outer ends of the spoke members.

In the form of the invention shown in ,Figs. 1 and 2 the edges of the s oke members form a butt joint. In Fig. 3 a form inwhich a lap joint is formed by having the spoke member 11 narrower than themember 12 so that the edges of the former fit snugly between the edges of the latter thereby reenforcing the joint and efi'ectually excluding dust.

It will be readily seen that I have provided a wheel which may be very expeditiously produced at a very low-cost and which, when in use, will be very strong and durable. After the two shells are placed together as shown in Fig. 2, the abutting edges are joined by brazing, welding, or similar methods so that there will be no open seams to weaken the wheel.

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A tubular wheel consisting of two-sheet outer ends ofthe spoke portions, the two shells being secured together at the outer 100 have shown ends of their spoke portions with the spoke hub member and the end of the encircled portions registering and forming tubular sleeve flush with the outer face of the other 10 structures, the walls of which converge hub member, and fasteningdevices insertecl toward their outer ends coaxial cylindrical through the hub members concentric with sleeves extending from the inner faces of 'said sleeve.

the hub members and fitting snugly one In testimony whereof I affix my signature within the other with the end ofthe en circling sleeve abutting the inner face of one FREDERICK L. MINNICK. [L. 5.] 

